On behalf of the Assembly of the Republic of Vietnam Veterans (ARVV), I appeal to you to bring your attention to a matter of great concern and ask for the United States Department of State intervention to protect and preserve justice for an American citizen imprisoned in Thailand.

Mr. Ly Tong was arrested in Thailand in November 2000 after having rented a small aircraft and flew to Vietnam to drop leaflets calling for freedom for this nation on the eve of former President Bill Clinton’s visit to Saigon. He stood trial in Thai’s court and is currently serving his sentence for this action. In 2004, Ly Tong has applied to be transferred back home to the United States to complete his sentence in accordance with the US-Thai agreement.

Last week, Mr. Ly Tong was informed by the US Consul in Bangkok that Vietnam has requested that he be extradited back to Vietnam to stand trial. The decision will soon be taken by the Thai government.

Madame Secretary, Ly Tong is a US citizen; he is also a Republican and a strong supporter of President Bush and America’s determination to “spread freedom and democracy to all dark corners of the world”. It was in that spirits that Ly Tong committed what he did in Vietnam. Whether of not one agrees with his action, Ly Tong’s ideology and action was well intended. He had been trialed and sentenced by the Thai’s justice system. To allow a US citizen to be trialed twice for his action and to be extradited to a country with one of the worst human rights records, is not only unfair and unjust, it also demonstrates that the US is turning its back on its citizens and that the US Consulate in Thailand is not doing all it can to ensure the safety and fair treatment for US citizens in foreign land. Such a message is not good for the US image as a champion for human rights worldwide.

Madame Secretary, the Vietnamese American community is a young one in the US but with a respectable contribution in all facets to this nation. Currently, over 200 servicemen and women of Vietnamese origin are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are promoting and defending America’s campaign for Freedom and Democracy.

Madame Secretary, I earnestly urge you to ask the US Consulate Office in Bangkok to do what it takes to protect US citizens and to make certain that Mr. Ly Tong not be returned to Vietnam to stand trial.